I waited, clinging to his words. I wasn’t making him do anything.
“Who the hell are you, Sofia?” He caressed my cheek again. “Who are you to show up and make me want to kill that asshole for messing with you?”
I opened my mouth to protest that I wasjusta maid. It was the lie of a century, though, and just like I’d thought yesterday, that I couldn’t do this, I worried that I’d fail altogether. The longerI succumbed to the heat of the moment and spent time with Andre, that was more time I was losing to find anything to send to my uncle. And if I didn’t come through for him, my cousin would suffer.
“You are my concern,” he repeated. “So long as you are here, Iwillprotect my household. No one has my permission to harass you.”
Hearing such words of a promise thawed my heart. He’d be my protector? He’d give a shit if I was unharmed?
Since my parents died when I was five, no one had filled that role. Not a single person came to my defense and looked out for me. The longing for someone tocare, to protect, instilled a sharp and instant yearning in my soul.
“And so long as you are here…”
I winced at the echo of that term.
As long as I was here? I was only supposed to be here for as short of a trial as possible—all to steal details from him.
“What?” He frowned, picking up on how I’d winced. “What’s wrong?”
“This,” I replied. “Thisis wrong, Mr.—”
He used his thumb to tip my chin up. “No more formality.”
Weakening under his preference to be more familiar with me, I caved on a sigh. “Andre…”
A wicked smile took over his face. “Again.”
I frowned.
“Say it again.”
Oh, dammit. What are you doing to me?The heat that filled his eyes tempted me to play along. Just the idea of him hearing me say his name was so… thrilling.
“Andre, I?—”
Closing the distance between us, he pressed his warm lips to mine. Heat spiraled through me. My heart thumped, pumping quicker, and the rush of excitement washed over me so potently that I couldn’t help but gasp.
“Mr. Orlov,” I said as he pulled back.
He narrowed his eyes, watching me.
“Andre,” I corrected. “This isn’t right.”
“It feels perfect.” And he kissed me again. And again. Drugging me. Tormenting me. Urging me to throw caution to the wind and respond in kind.
Shivers crossed over my skin. Every nerve ending tingled, sparked alive by the touch of his warm and hungry lips on mine. Shaken but still clinging to expectations of why I was here, I relished the fleeting elation of kissing this man who wanted to protect me.
He couldn’t, really.
He wouldn’t.
If Andre knew I was SofiaGiovanni, he’d kill me.
If he wanted to pretend he was my white knight to save the day, he wouldn’t be able to help me with Esmeralda. He wouldn’tbe able to rescue me from the fate of being Roberto Giovanni’s niece.
But right now, as I sank against him and savored the illicit heat that accompanied his kiss, I wanted to be selfish. Just for a moment. In this stroke of a minute, I was helpless to reject him.
Perfect?
